Appliance for preparing animal feed

ABSTRACT

An appliance for preparing animal feed, includes a housing, a mixing chamber designed to receive a portion of dehydrated feed and a liquid portion, mobile mixer arranged in the mixing chamber, a consumption chamber, wherein the mixing chamber is removable from the preparation appliance, wherein the mixing chamber, once mounted on the preparation appliance: is rotatable in order to pass from a position mixing the feed ration to a position dispensing the feed ration, and has a gripping portion which protrudes from the housing.

This invention concerns in general a mixing chamber of an appliance forpreparing animal feed. The invention also concerns an appliance forpreparing animal feed.

Devices for preparing feed for domestic animals are known in the priorart, such as the one described in the document U.S. Pat. No.8,511,519B2, for example. On the other hand, this system has inparticular the disadvantage of offering feed only in solid form, whichmay not be suitable for certain animals.

One goal of this invention is to respond to the aforementioneddisadvantages of the prior art and in particular, first of all, topropose a mixing chamber for an appliance for preparing animal feed inthe form of paste or mash, but in which the appliance must be ergonomicand easy to maintain.

For this purpose, a first aspect of the invention concerns an appliancefor preparing animal feed comprising:

-   -   a housing,    -   means for storing a dehydrated feed,    -   means for storing a liquid such as water,    -   a mixing chamber designed to receive a portion of dehydrated        feed and a portion of liquid,    -   movable mixing means arranged in the mixing chamber to mix the        portion of dehydrated feed and the portion of liquid to form a        feed ration in paste form,    -   a consumption container designed to receive the feed ration, in        which the mixing chamber is removable from the preparation        appliance,        characterized in that the mixing chamber, once mounted on the        preparation appliance:    -   is rotatable with respect to the preparation appliance to go        from a position of mixing the feed ration to a position of        dispensing the feed ration, and    -   has a gripping portion which is arranged outside of the        preparation appliance, protruding from the housing. The feed        preparation appliance according to this implementation comprises        a removable mixing chamber, which makes it easy to clean this        part that will become dirty with each use. However, the mixing        chamber is movable during preparation of the feed, but still        maintains a part projecting outward from the housing of the        appliance, to allow gripping without having to open a lid or        safety cap. The invention thus proposes an ergonomic appliance        without a movable safety device.

Advantageously, the gripping portion has rotational symmetry.

Advantageously, the gripping portion is free of occasional notches orprotuberances. Such an implementation prevents the risk of trapping,since if there are no notches or protuberances, there is no wall ormovable face that could trap a finger against a fixed part of thehousing, during the transition from the mixing position to thedispensing position.

Advantageously, the mixing chamber comprises an opening, in which:

-   -   when the mixing chamber is in the mixing position, the opening        is arranged at the upper part of the mixing chamber,    -   when the mixing chamber is in the dispensing position, the        opening is arranged at the lower part of the mixing chamber. In        this way, the ingredients to be mixed can be poured by gravity,        and the mash obtained after mixing can be expelled by gravity,        through the same opening.

Advantageously, the mixing chamber comprises a hook, the preparationappliance comprising a slot arranged to guide the hook during mountingof the mixing chamber on the preparation appliance, to ensure that themixing chamber is mounted with the opening arranged in the upper part ofthe mixing chamber. In this way, when the mixing chamber is directlymounted in the mixing position, preparation can begin immediately.

Advantageously, the preparation appliance comprises a circular throat toallow the hook to rotate and to prevent the mixing chamber from becomingdisassembled.

Advantageously, the mixing chamber comprises a toothed portion, and thepreparation appliance comprises drive means for the mixing chamber, witha pinion arranged to engage with the toothed portion. The mixing chamberitself comprises a part of the drive means, which simplifies the overalldesign.

Advantageously, the preparation appliance comprises a mixing paddlearranged in the mixing chamber and able to move in rotation with respectto the mixing chamber.

Advantageously, the mixing chamber comprises two anchorages forming apivoting link with the mixing paddle.

Advantageously, the preparation appliance comprises a driver designed todrive the mixing paddle in rotation, and one of the anchorages of themixing chamber is designed to receive the said driver.

Advantageously, the mixing chamber comprises a cover.

Other characteristics and advantages of this invention will be seen moreclearly by reading the following detailed description of an embodimentof the invention, provided as a non-restrictive example, and illustratedby the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 represents a side view of a mixing paddle designed to be receivedin a mixing chamber of a preparation appliance according to thisinvention;

FIG. 2 represents the mixing paddle of FIG. 1, seen according to thedirection II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 represents the mixing paddle of FIG. 1, seen according to thedirection III of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 represents a cross section of the mixing paddle of FIG. 1,according to the axis IV-IV of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5a represents the mixing paddle of FIG. 1 placed in the mixingchamber of the preparation appliance according to this invention;

FIG. 5b represents a pot forming a part of the mixing chamber of FIG. 5a;

FIG. 6 represents a perspective view of an animal feed preparationappliance according to this invention accommodating the mixing chamberof FIG. 5 a;

FIG. 7 represents a cross section of the animal feed preparationappliance of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 represents a perspective view of the bottom of a housing of thepreparation appliance of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 represents a perspective view of a dispensing area of thepreparation appliance of FIG. 6;

FIG. 10 represents a view of the back of the preparation appliance ofFIG. 6;

FIG. 11 represents an exploded view of the preparation appliance of FIG.6;

FIG. 12 represents a view detailing a removable cartridge of thepreparation appliance of FIG. 6.

FIGS. 6, 10, 11 and 12 represent general views of a preparationappliance 500 according to this invention, which comprises a main bodysupported by a bracket 401, which also supports a consumption container400 (such as a bowl, for example).

FIG. 10 shows that the main body may be positioned at differentaltitudes with respect to the bracket 401, so as to be able to adjust aheight between the main body and the consumption container 400,depending on the size of the animal to be fed. For this purpose, aplurality of holes are provided in the bracket 401, in order to be ableto screw it at the appropriate height in tapped holes in the main body.As for the bracket 401, it is fixed to a wall, for example, in order tohold the preparation appliance 500 and the consumption container 400 inplace.

FIG. 11 shows that the preparation appliance 500 may removably receiveseveral elements including a liquid reservoir 800, a removable cartridge610 and a mixing chamber 200 in which at least one liquid (such aswater, for example) and a dehydrated feed are mixed in order to form afeed ration in mash form that will then be dispensed into theconsumption container 400. A tray 410 is also provided in the body ofthe preparation appliance 500, to serve as storage means for thedehydrated feed.

The preparation appliance 500 can also removably receive the removablecartridge 610 and its support 611, whose very simple assembly is shownin FIG. 12. In fact, the removable cartridge 610, which contains a foodsupplement to be included in the ingredients to be mixed if needed, maybe mounted in its support 611, and the subassembly is then snap-fittedor inserted into the main body of

the preparation appliance 500, above the mixing chamber, so that adefined quantity of food supplement can easily be included in theanimal's feed ration, as will be explained later.

FIG. 1 represents a mixing paddle 100 designed to be received in themixing chamber 200 of the preparation appliance 500 according to thisinvention, which comprises a first eccentric arm 110 and a secondeccentric arm 120, both of them eccentric with respect to a rotationaxis 150, about which the mixing paddle rotates when it is used in theanimal feed preparation appliance 500.

In fact, the mixing paddle 100 is designed to be received in the mixingchamber 200 (visible in FIGS. 5a , 6, 7 and 11) of the animal feedpreparation appliance 500 (visible in FIG. 6), in order to mixingredients in it such as a serving of dehydrated feed with a liquid.For this purpose, it is envisioned to drive the mixing paddle 100 inrotation about the rotation axis 150, in order first to mix thedehydrated feed with a liquid such as water, and then to knead thismixture to obtain a homogeneous paste, and then dispense the paste intothe consumption container 400 (visible in FIG. 6) accessible to theanimal so that he can consume this freshly prepared mash.

To return to FIG. 1, each eccentric arm 110 and 120 comprises a firstportion 110 a and 120 a, respectively, inclined with respect to a planecontaining the rotation axis 150, so as to cause the ingredientscontained in the mixing chamber to move in a first axial direction (thedirection II in FIG. 1) when the mixing paddle rotates in a firstdirection of rotation. Advantageously, the first portions 110 a and 120a are helical in shape in order to form a portion of a screw conveyor.In this way, when the mixing paddle rotates in a second direction ofrotation opposite the first direction of rotation, the first portions110 a and 120 a cause the ingredients contained

in the mixing chamber to move in a second axial direction, the directionIII in FIG. 1.

In addition, each eccentric arm 110 and 120 comprises a second portion110 b and 120 b, respectively, arranged upstream of the first portion110 a and 120 a with respect to the first axial direction II, having across section oriented radially with respect to the rotation axis 150 inorder, when the mixing paddle 100 rotates in a second direction ofrotation, to bring about a radial movement of the ingredients containedin the mixing chamber 200 towards the outside of the mixing chamber 200,these ingredients then being returned towards the second portion 110 band 120 b by the first portion 110 a and 120 a.

In fact, the invention proposes to make the mixing paddle 100 rotate intwo contrary directions of rotation, depending on the result to beachieved, as is explained below.

As shown in FIG. 5a , the mixing chamber 200 comprises a pot 210 closedwith a cover 220, the mixing paddle 100 being arranged inside the pot210 closed with the cover 220. The mixing chamber 200 also comprises anopening 211 shown through the cover 220 in a partial cross section. Asseen in FIGS. 5a and 5b , the opening 211 is formed in the pot, but itwould be possible to envision establishing the opening 211 in the cover.

The preparation appliance 500 comprises a geared motor 340 with a pinion341 which can cause the mixing chamber 200 to pivot when it is placed ina housing 350 of the preparation appliance 500. In the rest of thepresentation, the bottom of the pot 210 will be considered to form afirst extremity of the mixing chamber 200, and the cover 220 is thenplaced at a second extremity of the mixing chamber 200.

In a first position, the mixing chamber 200 is placed in the housing 350with the opening 211 at the top of the mixing chamber 200, such that theingredients (the dehydrated feed, the liquid and

possibly a food supplement) fall by gravity into the mixing chamber 200,thus on the side of the second extremity.

During a first preparation phase, it is thus envisioned to make themixing paddle 100 rotate in a first direction of rotation so that theingredients are pushed or displaced by the first portions 110 a and 120a towards the first extremity of the mixing chamber 200 (thus accordingto the direction II of FIG. 1) to prevent an accumulation of ingredientsat the opening 211.

This first preparation phase may last several minutes, the time forpushing the ingredients towards the bottom of the pot 210 and mixingthem and kneading them to obtain a homogeneous paste or mash ready to beconsumed by the animal. It could also be envisioned to temporarilyinterrupt the rotation to allow the liquid to penetrate the dehydratedfeed properly. To effectively mix the ingredients, the first portions110 a and 120 a have an elongated cross section which is substantiallyperpendicular to their direction of travel, but the length of this crosssection is limited to 12 mm, for example, and more particularly to 10mm, to prevent any fouling around the mixing paddle. In addition, thiscross section may have a minimum surface area of 20 mm², which providesit with adequate strength.

The mixing paddle 100 can be made of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene orABS, polyoxymethylene (or polyformaldehyde), abbreviated POM, orpolyamide, abbreviated PA. Of course, one could envision addingreinforcing fibers to the material.

A second preparation phase can then begin, in order to dispense the mashin the consumption container 400. For this purpose, the geared motor340, by means of the pinion 341 which engages with a toothed portion 212of the pot 210 (visible in FIG. 5b ), causes the mixing chamber 200 topivot in the housing 350, in order to bring the opening 211 to thebottom of the mixing chamber.

At this moment, by causing the mixing paddle 100 to rotate in a seconddirection of rotation (opposite the first direction of rotation of thefirst preparation phase), the ingredients are then brought by the firstportions 110 a and 120 a towards the second extremity of the mixingchamber, that is, towards the second portions 110 b and 120 b, situatedopposite the opening 211.

The oriented cross section of the two portions 110 b and 120 b, as canbe seen in FIG. 4, then has the effect of pushing the ingredientstowards the outside of the mixing chamber, in this way causing the mashto pass through the opening 211, and then to fall by gravity into theconsumption container 400 situated just beneath. The length of thesecond portions 110 b and 120 b is calculated so that at least a part ofthese second portions 110 b and 120 b is opposite the opening 211.

When it turns in the first direction of rotation, the mixing paddle 100thus has the effect of displacing the ingredients towards the firstextremity of the mixing chamber 200 and mixing them there, and when itrotates in the second direction of rotation, the mixing paddle 100 thushas the effect of displacing the ingredients towards the secondextremity of the mixing chamber 200 and pushing them through the opening211.

As seen in FIG. 5a , the second portions 110 b and 120 b are adjusted tothe diameter of the pot 210, and in order to limit the risks of trappingif there are granules or solid particles in the mash between the mixingpaddle 100 and the pot 210, it is envisioned that the second portions110 b and 120 b are at least partly flexible, to be able to changeshape, and “pass above these granules or solid particles.” A siliconepart on the second portions 110 b and 120 b can therefore be envisioned.

As represented on FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the mixing paddle 100 comprisesconnecting tabs between the eccentric arms 110 and 120 in order toensure rigidity of the mixing paddle 100. In particular, two radial arms142 and 143 are provided at the extremities of

the mixing paddle 100, to attach the eccentric arms 110 and 120 and acentral part of the mixing paddle 100.

In addition, a radial tab 141 is provided at the center of the mixingpaddle 100, and a longitudinal tab 151 is provided at the rotation axis150 to further rigidify the assembly and prevent deformations bytwisting or bending, which could lead the mixing paddle 100 to becomestuck in the mixing chamber 200.

FIG. 2 also shows a centering 131 (a drilling) which forms an anchorageto ensure a quality pivoting connection with the mixing chamber 200where a corresponding pin is arranged in the cover 220.

Finally, FIG. 3 shows a square drive 132 which is designed to formanother anchorage and engage with a driver of the preparation appliance500, situated at the bottom of the housing 350. A different asymmetricalshape can be provided instead of the square drive 132 to drive themixing paddle 100, a shape preventing rotation being sufficient.

FIG. 8 represents a perspective view of the bottom of the housing 350 ofthe preparation appliance 500. The geared motor 340 and its pinion 341are seen there, but also a geared motor 330 arranged to drive the mixingpaddle 100 in rotation by means of a driver 331 visible at the bottom ofthe housing 350.

A slot 351 arranged in the cylindrical wall of the housing 350 is alsoseen, to allow passage of a hook 213 (visible in FIG. 5b ) of the pot210, in order to guarantee that the opening 211 is in the upper part ofthe mixing chamber 200, once it is in place in or on the preparationappliance 500.

The slot 351 ends on a strip or flexible tab 352 which comprises aportion of a throat 332 arranged over 360° on the inner face of thehousing 350.

When the mixing chamber is inserted on the preparation appliance 500,the hook 213 is then guided by the slot 351, and raises the flexible tab352, to reach the throat 332. Thus, the mixing chamber is integral withthe housing 350, the opening 211 being at the top. The first preparationphase may begin with supplying the ingredients by gravity into themixing chamber 200 and mixing with the mixing paddle 100 which rotatesin the first direction of rotation.

Then, the mixing paddle is stopped, and the mixing chamber 200 ispivoted by the geared motor 340 to make the opening 211 pass to thelower part of the mixing chamber 200. This movement is allowed andguided by the throat 332 which accommodates the hook 213.

The mixing chamber 200 is stopped in dispensing position, with theopening 211 in the low position, the mixing paddle may then be put intorotation according to the second direction of rotation, to expel theingredients through the opening 211 in the form of mash. The opening hasbeveled edges to prevent the mash from sticking to the edges of theopening 211.

Finally, once the mixing chamber 200 is empty, the mixing paddle 100 mayagain be stopped, and the mixing chamber 200 may again be pivoted toreturn to the mixing position. A new preparation may be initiated, orthe mixing chamber 200 may be removed by the user, because by seizingthe outer portion of the mixing chamber 200 at the cap (the cover 220,for example), the flexible tab can release the hook 213.

Again in FIG. 7, we can see the tray 410 which forms means for storingthe dehydrated feed, with a screw 420, which may be a helicoidal screw,connected to an electric motor 430, which may be a geared motor. Thescrew 420 is thus designed to remove dehydrated feed from the tray 410,and transport it to

a dispensing area 700, above the opening 211 (because the mixing chamber200 is in the first position).

In FIG. 7, we also see the removable cartridge 610 positioned above thedispensing area 700, and containing a food supplement such as vitamins,trace elements, health products (such as a deworming product, forexample), in order to personalize and tailor the feed ration to beprepared, depending on the animal's needs. The removable cartridge 610contains a food supplement ideally in liquid or paste form, and thepreparation appliance 500 comprises a motor 630 designed to move apiston 620, in order to force a predetermined amount of food supplementto fall into the mixing chamber 200.

The removable cartridge 610 is mounted on the support 611 which makes itpossible to receive it and index it via an indexing pin 612 (visible inFIG. 12), in order to position it correctly in the preparation appliance500.

As seen in FIG. 11, the preparation appliance 500 comprises the liquidreservoir 800, designed to form liquid storing means, and to storewater, for example. The liquid reservoir 800 is removably mounted sothat it can easily be filled, washed or dried.

The liquid reservoir 800 is connected to a supply channel 810, adownstream extremity 811 of which is seen in FIG. 9. On this crosssection figure, we see a part of the opening 211 and the walls 710 whichdefine the dispensing area 700. The downstream extremity 811 of thesupply channel 810 is thus positioned above the opening 211, but it isalso offset in relation to the walls 710, to prevent any contact orrun-off of water on the walls 710 of the dispensing area, but also withthe walls of the opening 211, which will prevent the dehydrated feedfrom adhering to and fouling these walls. The downstream extremity 811is thus opposite the opening 211, and it is offset in relation to thesupply of dehydrated feed and food supplement so that these threeingredients can be added

to the mixing chamber 200 at the same time without contact between oneanother, to prevent stains in the dispensing area 700, which is notremovable.

It will be understood that various modifications and/or improvementsobvious to the person skilled in the art may be made to variousembodiments of the invention described in this description withoutdeparting from the context of the invention defined by the attachedclaims.

1. A preparation appliance for preparing animal feed, comprising: ahousing, a first storage container for storing a dehydrated feed, asecond storage container for storing a liquid, a mixing chamber designedto receive a portion of dehydrated feed and a portion of liquid, amovable mixer arranged in the mixing chamber to mix the portion ofdehydrated feed and the portion of liquid to form a feed ration in pasteform, a consumption container designed to receive the feed ration,wherein the mixing chamber is removable from the preparation appliance,wherein the mixing chamber, once mounted on the preparation appliance;is rotatable with respect to the preparation appliance to go from aposition of mixing the feed ration to a position of dispensing the feedration, and has a gripping portion which is arranged outside of thepreparation appliance, protruding from the housing.
 2. The preparationappliance according to claim 1, wherein the gripping portion hasrotational symmetry.
 3. The preparation appliance according to claim 1,wherein the gripping portion is free of occasional notches orprotuberances.
 4. The preparation appliance according to claim 1,wherein the mixing chamber comprises an opening and in which: when themixing chamber is in the mixing position, the opening is arranged at anupper part of the mixing chamber, when the mixing chamber is in thedispensing position, the opening is arranged at a lower part of themixing chamber.
 5. The preparation appliance according to claim 4,wherein the mixing chamber comprises a hook, the preparation appliancecomprising a slot arranged to guide the hook during mounting of themixing chamber on the preparation appliance, to ensure that the mixingchamber is mounted with the opening arranged in the upper part of themixing chamber.
 6. The preparation appliance according to the claim 5,comprising a circular throat to allow the hook to rotate and prevent themixing chamber from becoming disassembled.
 7. The preparation applianceaccording to claim 1, wherein the mixing chamber comprises a toothedportion, and wherein the preparation appliance comprises a drive systemconfigured to drive the mixing chamber, with a pinion configured toengage with the toothed portion.
 8. The preparation appliance accordingto claim 1, wherein the preparation appliance comprises a mixing paddlearranged in the mixing chamber and able to move in rotation with respectto the mixing chamber.
 9. The preparation appliance according to claim8, wherein the mixing chamber comprises two anchorages forming apivoting link with the mixing paddle.
 10. The preparation applianceaccording to claim 9, further comprising a driver configured to drivethe mixing paddle in rotation, and wherein one of the anchorages of themixing chamber is configured to receive the driver.
 11. The preparationappliance according to claim 1, wherein the mixing chamber comprises acover.
 12. The preparation appliance according to claim 1, wherein theliquid is water.